14 Jun 2019 17:41:17
On the two topics below, you can only judge Rads ability to invest in quality players by what he has spent to date or failed to spend, like in January. The other point on Saiz, I believe the big problem he had was frustration, I think he tried too hard, he became a marked man, with all opposition teams trying to stop him playing. He should have been rested, then played out on the left wing and not given the ball as much . At one stage every attacking move we made was to pass the ball to Saiz. The opposition had two players on him all the time . Both he and us got found out. It would be great to have him back firing on all cylinders, on his day best player in the league. There may also have been an element of homesickness, which got worse when things were not going right.
14 Jun 2019 18:00:29
I agree to a degree, but when you are that kind of player, you should expect to get kicked, his problem was the way he took it. To create space for others, I’d have taken a lump hammer to the shins. Ok, maybe not, but you get chopped in football, but you do what you can do, for the team.
14 Jun 2019 18:05:24
Leeds1970 - agreed Saiz got targeted but that was because of the threat he posed. His was the flair that hasn’t yet been replaced. The killer final pass. Note how Klich goals dried up after he left and it also affected Pablo in my view, who serves us better on the wing because of his ability to cross the ball. Who truly knows why Saiz went but he should have been protected on the pitch whilst he was here. If Vinny Jones had been playing behind him some of those who constantly elbowed him in the ribs or tapped his ankles would have thought twice. We need that kind of presence again to protect our flair players.
14 Jun 2019 20:42:58
To a part, I agree. It would be useful to have some "presence" on the pitch but I would never want that instead of talent. I love Vinny, brilliant leader, but averagely talented. If only he had been Desailly.
14 Jun 2019 21:48:10
sorry axe but i got to disagree
vinne was great in this league the year we come up, a leader, showed grit, bossed games and often showed a touch of class, some of his goals in 89-90 were as good as any you would see
swap vinne for any of our midfielders this year and for me we would of gone up
we had no grit, no ability to boss the game, no one to grab ga, me by scruff of the neck when our perfect football didn't come off and we were a soft soft touch against poor team who took points from us they never should of took and cost us promotion
every team needs grit and a backbone we have no one other than pontus and last year we are soft as a 80 year olds lady melons.
14 Jun 2019 21:24:41
I agree, Saiz was man marked and rightly so. I'd have done that if I was an opposition coach.
As a player you keep trying as if you are good enough you can still make things happen.
You also have to pull defenders away by drifting out of the zone a little. If they don't follow you then you have your space if they do someone else has the space.
To me Saiz didn't do this enough and as a result became frustrated as he wasn't as involved as he'd like.
Do what's best for the team and we all win.
14 Jun 2019 22:01:28
Berm I've had quite enough of you now! Will the real Bermondsey please stand up? You've been talking sense for over 3 months now.
14 Jun 2019 22:02:36
Good post MP.
14 Jun 2019 22:06:00
I agree Bermo. But the kind of “grit†you’re talking about, the grit that I love, and taught as a coach, is not allowed anymore. And it’s sad. Football of old is gone. 😢.
14 Jun 2019 23:02:11
Not sure I’d go that far Georgie! But actually do agree about Vinnie, bought in specifically for a purpose and did his job. He moved on when he saw what was coming in the shape I’d one of our best midfield combinations ever and he is very honest about it. Incredible bloke! Just not sure Bielsa sees the need for that role, KP might be as far as he would go in that regard.
Saiz, great player but came at a cost that the bielsa regime just isn’t going to put up with. Went back to Spain for family reasons and I’m sure will be happy to stay there. He went back in December when.
things looked great for gods sake and he couldn’t cement a place in the Getafe 11, that says it all. I’m surprised if you come back from all that with Bielsa. He’s gone!
14 Jun 2019 23:34:25
Fair enough Bermo. Love it when you write positive stuff cos you expand on it well and its interesting stuff.
I agree with you, in the Championship Vinny would have been at the right level. Also agree he gave backbone to that Division 2 winning side
My only issue is the modern game would have passed him by, and refs would have got writer's cramp from his robust approach.
15 Jun 2019 12:56:06
i make axe and bright correct sadly the players that i love and think leeds need probably don't exsist and wouldn't fit todays game or last 20 minutes on the pitch
think the closest i seen this year was the sheff utd midfield and would give anything for either one of the them in particular mcginn who impressed me all seasons
the loss to them was a good example, we had all the game but they defended doggily then they had a couple of attacks and our weak spine couldn't handle it.
it is great to do a wolves but that costs money promotion on the cheap (which leeds look like we might have to do) can be done but by the likes of Cardiff and sheff utd which is less about nice football and more a dogged stability.
15 Jun 2019 13:23:55
Mcginn plays for Villa, Berm, but agree with sentiment!
15 Jun 2019 18:53:28
sorry yeah
i meant mcginn of villa or the two fellas for sheff utd, i'm getting old and even more stupid than i was in my young age.